John Bear—Daily News
Convicted methamphetamine trafficker, racketeer and money launderer Robert Chavez is led to a holding cell in District Court Tuesday.

A District Judge sentenced an Alamogordo-based methamphetamine trafficker, racketeer and money launderer to 36 years in prison Tuesday.

A Chaves County jury convicted Robert Chavez, 41, earlier this year of 10 counts of a 16-count indictment which included money laundering, conspiracy, methamphetamine trafficking and racketeering.

Chavez's trial was moved to Roswell because of pretrial publicity.

The charges stemmed from multiple crimes that reportedly took place in Otero County starting in November 2007 through May 2012, when Chavez and his associates allegedly brought 7.5 pounds and 4 pounds of methamphetamine to Alamogordo from Arizona on separate occasions.

District Judge Mark Sanchez sentenced Chavez to the maximum amount under the law and imposed a $60,000 fine.

Matthew J. Bouillon, Assistant Attorney General Border Violence Division of the New Mexico Attorney General, said his office will seek penalties for money laundering against Chavez, which could amount to three times the amount he is expected to have laundered.

"This is a huge moment for us, and we hope that other jurisdictions will follow," Bouillon said. "Money laundering is the sort of offense that is not frequently prosecuted in New Mexico."

Twelfth Judicial District Senior Trial Prosecutor Kirby Wills said the Chavez case is the first time New Mexico's racketeering and money laundering statutes have gone to trial.

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"This case, a lot of what we did, relied on federal guidance and how other states handled this," Wills said.

During the sentencing hearing, Wills characterized Chavez as a man with a violent history, the leading figure in a purported drug trafficking ring known as the "AZ Boys."

"This man is a hard core criminal thug," Kirby said. "That is the life style he has chosen."

Kirby said at one point, the "AZ Boys" are suspected of importing 90 percent of the methamphetamine that hit Alamogordo streets.

"After they were taken out of circulation in 2012, the narcotics officers were hard pressed to find any methamphetamine on the street in anything more than a gram or two" in a two or three month period following their arrests, Kirby said. "The court records would support that."

Several members of the alleged ring have been indicted on drug trafficking and money laundering charges. Chavez' brother, Joe, is scheduled to go on trial next week while the other defendants trials are pending, Kirby said.

Defense attorney Jason Flores-Williams, who could not be immediately reached for comment after the hearing Tuesday, said Chavez has essentially been involved in non-violent crime and that the maximum penalty amounted to a life sentence for his client.

Flores-Williams said drug traffickers often get longer prison terms than people who commit violent crimes. He said that Chavez has a history of working, has a 401k and "screwed up" when he came to Alamogordo.

In a related case Tracy Garrison pleaded no contest Tuesday to eight counts of fourth-degree felony money laundering and one count of second-degree racketeering. She was released on her own recognizance pending her sentencing hearing.

Sheriff Benny House said the Otero County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Enforcement Unit and Detective's Division had "put their heart and soul" into the case and added the district attorney's and attorney general's offices did a good job prosecuting Chavez.

"We all know, as an agency, how important this case was to the community," House said. "We took our time and put a real solid case together. ... Our county is safer due to Mr. Chavez being sent to prison."

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